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Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (NJC)
Mangaluru, Sep 28: Actor and social activist Prakash Raj, speaking at a press meet at Ocean Pearl Hotel in Mangaluru on Monday, raised concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka and alleged that genuine voters could be affected by the process.
Raj questioned the manner in which voters have been categorised under the SIR exercise, while stressing that he was not opposed to removing illegal, duplicate or deceased entries from electoral rolls. “The issue is not whether illegal voters should be removed, but whether this process is being carried out correctly,” he said.
Referring to Karnataka's SIR data, Raj pointed to the large number of voters placed under the Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate and Others (ASDDO) category. Official data shows that more than 1.08 crore of Karnataka's 5.54 crore electors were placed in the ASDDO category during the enumeration exercise. Another 43.8 lakh voters were identified under no-mapping or logical-discrepancy categories and were to be given an opportunity to establish their eligibility.
Raj alleged that the scale of the exercise and the time available for verification could result in genuine voters being left out. He questioned why citizens should bear the consequences of errors in voter records, spelling mistakes or address-related discrepancies that may have occurred during previous electoral roll updates.
He also cited his own experience with the SIR process. Raj said that although he had shifted to an address only a few streets away, he was asked to submit Form 6, which he argued was inappropriate for an existing voter seeking only an address correction. He maintained that such voters should instead be allowed to use the appropriate procedure for shifting their address.
The actor further questioned the Election Commission's handling of voter-roll data and alleged that excessive centralisation of the electoral database could reduce the role of local election officials. He also raised concerns over the use of the ECINET system and alleged that large-scale changes to voter records could take place without adequate transparency. Raj presented these claims as concerns requiring investigation.
Raj said activists were collecting evidence from polling booths across Karnataka, including Mangaluru, Bengaluru, Kodagu, Raichur and Belagavi, to document cases in which voters allegedly faced difficulties during the revision process. He said the evidence would be presented at a joint press conference in Bengaluru.
He also highlighted the difficulties faced by elderly citizens, economically weaker sections and other vulnerable groups in establishing their voter credentials, particularly when historical records contain spelling or date-of-birth discrepancies.
Questioning the need for what he described as an excessively burdensome verification process, Raj said the Election Commission must ensure that the exercise does not turn into a situation where genuine citizens are forced to repeatedly prove their eligibility to vote.
At the same time, official information indicates that the SIR process provides mechanisms for voters affected by the draft roll to submit claims and objections. Karnataka's election authorities have issued notices to voters whose records could not be mapped or contained identified discrepancies, with hearings and verification forming part of the subsequent process.
Raj also urged citizens to remain vigilant about their names and details in the electoral rolls and asserted that protecting the right to vote requires both responsible citizenship and accountability from election authorities.
The actor concluded by calling for greater transparency, proper verification and protection of eligible voters during the SIR exercise, saying that correcting electoral rolls should not come at the cost of excluding genuine citizens.